On the plane, Tatum and Mitchell sat near the front, chatting and laughing. In the back row, Han Sen was speaking with Atkinson about the upcoming schedule in Charlotte.
Besides a few sponsor events, Atkinson had also arranged a yacht party for Han.
This kind of event was a classic American celebrity marketing tactic—fans could pay for tickets to see celebrities in a semi-private setting, and if they paid even more, they could interact with them up close.
Usually, these parties were just money grabs. But this time was different—all proceeds would be donated to a local Charlotte charity supporting children with disabilities.
Clearly, this was meant to elevate Han Sen's public image.
Han wasn't one to obsess over his public persona, but Atkinson had spent years carefully building a respectable off-court reputation for him.
It had helped Han's business ventures in many ways, so he didn't resist.
After finishing the conversation, Han asked Atkinson to bring Tatum over.
"You have any thoughts about the Rising Stars Game?"
Since Tatum had started playing with real intent on the court, Han had been paying more attention to him.
Tatum shook his head—clearly, he didn't care much about this kind of game.
"You know why Donovan is doing so many events this weekend?" Han asked next.
"He can't sit still," Tatum replied, clearly familiar with Mitchell's personality.
But Han shook his head. "There are over 500 players in the league. If you want to stand out, you have to seize every opportunity."
The NBA was a business at its core. The league created stars every year, but that kind of spotlight was limited.
Han's meaning was clear—if you don't go after it, why would the league choose to spotlight you?
"I never thought about it like that. I just wanna play well and not drag the team down," Tatum said, scratching his head.
Han stared at him for a while before finally laughing.
For a guy who once idolized LeBron James, Tatum's humble attitude felt oddly out of place—like that photo Han had seen. Something didn't quite fit.
Because LeBron was known as one of the league's biggest businessmen. For him, basketball was just a tool to build his brand. His real ambition was using that fame to create a business empire.
That's why he was so close to Jay-Z—another businessman disguised as an artist. Jay-Z made a few million off his music, but his real wealth came from turning that popularity into a billion-dollar personal brand.
But Han believed Tatum was being genuine. He spent most of his time in the gym or on the court. In that sense, he was more like Kobe.
"Jayson, resolve can help you perform better. But you still need to make your opponents fear you. You need to show aggression."
Tatum was stunned. After everything he'd experienced recently, he knew Han was right—but he didn't understand what aggression had to do with the Rising Stars Game.
"Try to win MVP," Han said simply, without explaining further.
Tatum looked confused, but nodded.
---
The Rising Stars Game kicked off on the first day of All-Star Weekend.
It didn't get a ton of attention, and it wasn't held in the main All-Star arena. So when Han showed up courtside, the crowd erupted.
Naturally, the players on the court got fired up too.
The longer Han stayed in the league, the more young players idolized him—just like Kobe's generation once looked up to Jordan.
Many of these guys had grown up watching Han dominate.
This year's format was World Team vs. USA Team.
The World squad was led by Ben Simmons and Luka Dončić, while Team USA was led by Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum.
An interesting twist—the head coach for Team USA was Kyrie Irving, and the World Team coach was Nikola Jokić.
Back when Kyrie left the Cavs, his beef with the team was largely tied to Jokić's rise. The league knew what it was doing—creating drama.
From the look on Jokić's face, though, he had zero interest in the event. The man clearly didn't want to be here.
Kyrie, on the other hand, looked pumped—finally a chance to prove himself again, even in a showcase.
When the game tipped off, the surprise breakout in the first quarter wasn't Mitchell or Tatum—it was Kyle Kuzma.
He went off for 14 points in the opening period, hitting from inside and out.
Kuzma wasn't the most talented guy on Team USA, but in these showcase games, confidence and rhythm mattered more than raw skill.
And Kuzma had both.
Han glanced at Tatum. If Tatum had Kuzma's boldness, he wouldn't need Han's advice at all.
Team USA clearly had more firepower, and by halftime, they led 83–71.
Mitchell had 10 points, 4 boards, and 4 assists. Tatum was solid with 14 points.
Meanwhile, the fan-favorite Luka Dončić looked a bit out of rhythm—only 5 points at the half.
But as the second half started, Luka came alive—drilling two straight threes to lead a comeback and quickly tie the game.
The momentum shifted hard. Suddenly, even Kuzma hesitated to shoot.
That's when Tatum stepped up. A three-pointer, then a violent dunk to calm the storm. He and Mitchell followed it up with a 6–0 run to stretch the lead again.
Han couldn't help but smile.
Tatum and Dončić—they were bound to become lifelong rivals.
Team USA won 161–144.
Kuzma finished with 35 points and was named MVP.
Tatum had 30 points and 9 rebounds. Mitchell tallied 20 points, 7 boards, 9 assists, and 5 steals.
After the game, Tatum approached Han, a bit sheepish.
"I didn't get it," he said quietly.
But Han just smiled and patted his shoulder. "I already saw what I needed to see."
It wasn't about whether Tatum won MVP. What mattered was the aggression he showed in the third quarter—the killer instinct. That's what Han had been waiting for.
---
That night, Han attended the yacht party Atkinson had arranged.
He kept things professional. Even though he wasn't a fan of these types of events, he did everything he was supposed to—charming, polite, composed.
But near the end of the party, a surprise guest appeared.
When Michael Jordan walked in, the entire room stirred.
It wasn't that MJ had more star power than Han—but the guests had paid for one legend and got to meet two.
Han looked at Atkinson, confused—only to see him just as stunned.
Clearly, this wasn't planned.
Still, Han stood up and greeted Jordan with a hug.
In some ways, MJ's arrival was a show of respect—a gesture of support.
And Jordan confirmed that himself.
He had bought a ticket and boarded the yacht willingly—because Han was donating all profits to a local Charlotte charity. To Jordan, that made it a part of the All-Star celebration.
There was no reason not to show up.
---
After the yacht party wrapped up, Han Sen and Michael Jordan went up to the upper deck to chat for a while.
Their first meeting dated all the way back to Han's draft workout with the Charlotte Hornets, when Jordan—refusing to admit he was past his prime—personally stepped onto the court to test Han. The result? Han broke two of Jordan's ribs.
Since then, they hadn't had much private interaction. Han had remained laser-focused on the court as a player, while Jordan, as a team owner, was immersed in business.
A few years back, Han had declared he would surpass Jordan. Then came the bitter Nike vs. Under Armour war. The chances of them crossing paths again? Practically zero.
But now that Han had caught up and even surpassed Jordan in accolades, the two of them chatting like this didn't feel awkward at all.
"I see you've been making a lot of business moves this year," Jordan said, leaning against the railing with a cigar between his lips. "Planning something big after retirement?"
"You trying to make money with me?" Han smirked. He wasn't some business wizard, but this past year had taught him a lot. Ideas came easier now.
Honestly, a joint project between him and Jordan could easily go viral. The hype alone could carry it.
Jordan chuckled, flicking ash into the wind. As the face of Air Jordan, a Nike subsidiary, it wasn't a fit.
"Only thing I invest in is golf—and a good side bet. Business doesn't hit the same unless someone's losing money."
Han laughed. "You really are addicted."
"Hey," Jordan grinned. "If there's a scoreboard, there's a spread."
Then, almost as an afterthought, Jordan added, "Actually, there is a project I was approached for. Didn't really interest me—but it might suit you."
"What kind of project?" Han asked, surprised Jordan was being serious.
"Esports. You know I'm an old head. But maybe a younger guy like you would see the vision."
"I'm interested," Han said, immediately reaching out his hand.
He wasn't going to be polite about it. He hadn't considered esports before—never had the opportunity—but if Jordan was offering a legitimate lead, it was worth jumping on. As a transmigrator, Han knew the esports industry was headed for a boom.
Jordan put the cigar back in his mouth, pulled out his wallet, and handed Han a business card.
Han glanced at it: aXiomatic Gaming.
Didn't ring any bells, but it looked legit.
Still holding the card, Han grinned. "If you ever change your mind, I'll save you a spot. It's the Chinese way—never forget the ones who dug the well."
Jordan just shook his head. If he'd been interested, he wouldn't have passed it to Han in the first place.
---
After the yacht party, Han had Atkinson contact the name on the card.
He didn't think much of it—until he got a reply.
And it shocked him.
This wasn't some casual endorsement—it was a multi-million-dollar investment opportunity.
Not profits—capital. They were looking for investors. Han would need to put in over $20 million.
No wonder Jordan didn't bite. It was a risky venture at its core.
But that's when Han's transmigrator advantage kicked in.
When he found out aXiomatic Gaming had acquired Team Liquid two years ago, he realized this was a sure win.
Even in his past life, he hadn't followed esports closely, but he still knew TL—one of the world's top-tier organizations. Long-term, they were always in the global top 3.
Jordan, knowingly or not, had just handed Han a massive favor.
Then again, maybe it was Atkinson's yacht party that made it all possible.
Sometimes, doing good really did bring unexpected rewards.
---
The second day of All-Star Weekend arrived—Skills, Three-Point, and Dunk contests.
But the first explosion of excitement came earlier than expected—in the Skills Challenge.
Tatum went on a tear—knocking out Han's former teammates Mike Conley and Nikola Jokić to reach the final.
In the final round against Luka Dončić, he was trailing the entire way. Then, in a last-ditch effort, he pulled up for a half-court three—and drilled it.
Han, sitting courtside, jumped to his feet.
There was definitely luck involved—but the moment Tatum let it fly, you could feel it: that wasn't just confidence—it was killer instinct.
This kid?
Might really be ready.
After the shot went in, Tatum sprinted to the sideline and slapped hands with Han—his first reaction wasn't even to celebrate solo.
At the award ceremony, he raised the trophy with pure joy.
This wasn't a title that meant much to most—but to Tatum, it was priceless.
Because for the first time, he felt something change inside himself.
If he could shoot a half-court game-winner here at All-Star Weekend, he could take the final shot in a real game, too.
Next up was the highly anticipated Three-Point Contest.
It wasn't just Steph Curry this year—his brother Seth Curry was in it too.
For Han, it was a nostalgic moment. Back when he was trying out for Charlotte, he'd shared the court with both brothers.
The first shooter was Joe Harris from the Nets. He set the tone with 25 points—a solid start.
But Han's current teammate and local hero Kemba Walker underperformed with 15, bowing out early.
Seth didn't fare much better with 16. As always, it felt like he was just playing a supporting role.
But Buddy Hield came alive—dropping 26 and locking up a Finals spot.
Steph took the stage last, and in front of his hometown fans, delivered big—a blistering 27-point round.
In the final round, Joe Harris started cold, but caught fire late—hitting 4 of 5 on the final rack and finishing with 19.
Hield, locked in from the start, was clinical. His last rack? A perfect 5-for-5. Another 26.
That put the pressure squarely on Steph.
And Steph responded—nailing 9 of his first 10 shots. The crowd was already on its feet.
Then… nerves.
He went cold for two racks in the middle. Heading into the final rack, he was tied with Hield at 21.
He needed to hit all five bonus balls to force a tiebreaker.
But the first one missed.
He sank the next four, finishing with 24. Just two points shy.
Three-Point Contests weren't just about shooting skill—they were about composure. And tonight, Steph clearly felt the weight of performing back home in Charlotte.
After shaking off the pressure, he found his rhythm again—but it was too late.
Still, Steph was gracious in defeat, congratulating Hield with a smile.
And that's when fans realized—the Sacramento Kings had just won two contests in a row.
(End of Chapter)